


Leaving Home

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 12:53:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16933593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: I rewrote the bit I previously wrote about Branlin leaving the university and decided that I liked it!





	Leaving Home

**Author's Note:**

> Lou, as always, belongs to the lovely Beammetothemoon

While Branlin’s grief over losing Grulun has far from subsided, it’s mixed with excitement for what’s ahead.  She’s also excited to share news of her decision with Valrona as she knocks on the doorframe to her office.

“Yes, Branlin?  I’m very busy,” Valrona says, looking up from her work.  

“I know- I’ll be quick,” Branlin says.

She steps fully into the office and crosses to the chair.  How many hours has she spent in that chair, feet dangling when she was a small child and feet only now able to brush against the floor?  Too many to count.

Valrona sighs and sets her work down as Branlin sits.  

“I’m, uh, not coming back after Grulun’s funeral!” Branlin says.  

“Oh?  New research project?” Valrona’s interest is now piqued.  

“Well, kind of!  Grulun sent me a letter before he died, and, well, he raised some good points.  I think I need to leave the university for a while. I don’t know for how long,” Branlin says.  “I've just gotta see what else is out there.”

Valrona gets to her feet and turns to the window.  “Have I done something to displease you? Truly, Branlin, I want to know.”

Branlin frowns and shakes her head.   “No, I promise you that it has nothing to do with you or me being unhappy.  I'm very happy here, as I always have been.”

“Then why would you leave?  I have provided for you the best in everything and a much finer education than an orphan has any right to expect,” Valrona says.

“This is something that I need to do.  I’ve lived here my whole life- and I appreciate everything that you’ve done for me- but I need to see the world beyond these four walls,” Branlin says.

Her voice catches as tears well up in her eyes.  She angrily brushes them away; she hates disappointing Valrona, but why can’t she see that this is something that she needs to do?

“Is this some fit because we were unable to send you to that conference?  Really, Branlin, please try to act like an adult,” Valrona says as she turns to face Branlin again.  

“I promise you- this doesn’t have anything to do with you or the university,” Branlin says.

“Yes, it’s quite clear you’ve thought of no one but yourself.  Typical. I thought we had sorted out that selfish streak out after you nearly died with that dreadful little hobby of yours, but I had too much faith in you,” Valrona gives a deep sigh as she crosses over to the desk and picks up whatever she was working on.  “Goodbye Branlin. I do hope you come to your senses before you get yourself killed or we’re able to find a replacement. It’d be a shame if we weren’t able to find a place for you a second.”

Branlin blinks at the sudden dismissal.  She hadn’t expected Valrona to be jumping for joy at her decision, but she thought the older woman- her mentor, her role model, the closest thing Branlin has to a parent- would be happy for her on a personal level, at least.  

It’s embarrassing, how Branlin stumbles over the threshold of Valrona’s office.  She’s crossed over it thousands of times, and yet it feels like she’ll never do it again.  

Her heart thuds painfully as she leaves the place she’s called home for her whole life.  She feels more alone than ever as she faces the unknown.

* * *

A few months later, Branlin wakes up early.  She carefully untangles herself from Lou, stroking his face and murmuring quietly to soothe him back to sleep before grabbing her parchment and quill.  Today is when she finally does something that she’s been thinking of since she left.

With the sun rising and the stillness of the early morning surrounding her, she begins to write.  

_ Dear Valrona- _

_ I'm not sure if you'll read this, but I hope so.  Since I left, I've done so many incredible things, and I've gotten the chance to help a couple people along the way, too.   _

_ I hope you can forgive me for leaving how I did, but I had to make a change.  I'm glad I did.  _

Branlin chews the bottom of her lip, trying to think of what to say next.  So much to say, but nothing actually comes to mind. 

_ You're going to think me foolish, but life is so good when you have someone to share it with.  Even little things like sleeping or walking from place to place can be so good. Which is good, because there’s a lot of walking. _

_ I just want you to know that I’m safe, that I’m happy, and I have someone to watch out for me.  I’m not alone.  _

_ Lou is kind and compassionate and the good-est person that I’ve ever met.  He makes me want to be a good person, makes me discontent to stand idly by while bad things happen.  I’m a better person for having met him. _

_ See?  Told you that you’d think I was foolish.  I think you’d like him though; maybe that’s because I can’t imagine anyone not liking Lou. _

_ I really do hope that you can forgive me.  I know I owe you most everything I have, and I hate that we parted on such poor terms.   _

_ Thank you. _

_ -Branlin _

Branlin rereads the letter a couple times, trying to make sure she hit everything she wanted to.  She really does feel bad for how badly she left Valrona. It doesn’t seem right that such a fabulous adventure started with such negative feelings.  

“What are you reading?” Lou’s voice comes from behind her.

“I wrote a letter.  Just checking it over,” Branlin says.

She turns to look at him; he’s still laying down, peering up at her through sleepy eyes.  

“Who to?” 

“Just someone that I parted with on poor terms.  I just want her to know that I’m okay, at least,” Branlin says.  “I don’t know if she would care, but… I hope she does.”

His curiosity is tempered by his sleepiness and the chill in the air.  Lou reaches an arm out to her, beckoning her back over.

Branlin carefully folds up the letter and tucks it in her pack before complying.  She snuggles up against Lou, facing him. His hand is a comforting weight on her cheek.

“I can’t imagine that whoever it is wouldn’t care about your wellbeing,” Lou says.

Branlin smiles at him, not so much because she thinks he’s right, but because he’s the one saying those words.  “I hope you’re right, darling.”

“Should you wish to go and deliver your message in person, I’m sure that we could arrange to do so,” Lou says.  

Branlin looks down, thinking.  She has faced terrible necromancers and other horrors, but she can’t imagine facing Valrona again.  While most things are easier with Lou by her side, facing Valrona seems much more difficult.

It doesn’t make sense.  Valrona cared for her her whole life; she is good, taking in some discarded orphan.  Lou is good, too- a statement that doesn’t need any justification; it’s as obvious as the blue sky above.  

But when she thinks about them in the same room, Branlin’s mind can’t put the pieces together.  Perhaps because Valrona always excludes quiet, elegant power, and Lou tends to be a bit more boisterous in, well, everything.  

“I don’t think she’d want to see me unless I was going to stay,” Branlin says eventually, looking up at him again.

“Would you…” Lou clears his throat, and now it’s his turn to look downwards.  “Would that make you happier?”

“No,” Branlin doesn’t hesitate.  “Not at all. I’ll just send a letter for now.  I’d rather keep adventuring with you.”

Lou smiles at her, and Branlin can’t help but smile back.  

“Should that change, let me know,” Lou says.

“I will,” Branlin says.

They lapse into early morning sleepy silence, Lou’s eyes sliding closed.  The hand on her cheek goes limp, and Branlin kisses his palm before setting his hand in a more comfortable position.

His breath tickles her face, and it’s enough to keep Branlin from falling all the way asleep.  Instead, she’s tucked in that nice groove between sleep and wakefulness, where all of her worries melted away, when she had them.  

But with the soft morning sun warming her skin and Lou filling her vision, Branlin doesn’t even remember what worries are.


End file.
